


The Flying Graysons et al.

by Haunted_Frost



Series: Bat Family Awkward Situations [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Bat Brothers, Bat Family, Big Brother Dick Grayson, Circus, Dialogue Heavy, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Haly's Circus, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-18
Updated: 2018-05-18
Packaged: 2019-05-08 17:14:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14698719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haunted_Frost/pseuds/Haunted_Frost
Summary: Dick Grayson is mourning losses, just like the rest of them, no matter how hard he tries to keep smiling.They all notice.  In an attempt to make Dick feel better when Haly's Circus returns to Gotham near the anniversary of his parents' deaths, the rest of the Robins form a plan: they will perform a routine at the circus for Dick, surprising him completely.  This goes just about how you can expect.





	The Flying Graysons et al.

* * *

**Damian**

It was some weeks after Father’s proposal to Kyle that Damian noticed it.  Father was spending time with his fiancé, so Damian often paired off with Grayson.  He did go with the others, too, but he and Grayson had found their rhythm quickly.  They were efficient. 

So, in his extended patrol times and bonding hours with him, Damian definitely noticed Dick’s darker mood.  He’d seen it rarely—sometimes in a heated discussion with Father or Todd.  Sometimes after a case that ran him emotionally ragged.  However, there were very few things that brought Richard Grayson low like this—smiles and laughs, as usual, but no glint in his eyes. 

He seemed hollow, like an old-fashioned gas lamp with no gas.  Strong, same as always, but the light was out. 

Damian was hyper-aware of it, and Drake seemed to be knowledgeable, so he turned to his predecessor for answers.  Perhaps Tim would be able to give him information and a way to solve the issue. 

“It’s Haly’s Circus,” Drake grimaced. “They’re doing a memorial performance in Gotham in a month.  Dick is usually okay when they make their rounds, but it’s an anniversary of his parents’ deaths.  Not exactly an easy thing.” 

Ah.  This was the one thing Damian always wondered about—he has seen death, yes.  Caused it on many occasions without remorse (at the time, at least) and yet . . . his parents are both alive and well.  It makes him more or less a black sheep in the family, an anomaly. 

In a family where choice defines you, it is hard to be the blood son. 

“No.  I suppose not.  What usually happens when he’s mourning?  Does anyone do anything?”  Drake frowned. 

“No.  None of us really—I mean, not even on the anniversary of the Wayne—wow, we are dysfunctional, as usual.”  Indeed, an obvious truth that ought to be remedied.  Damian would likely have to research the deaths of the Drakes as well to properly time his support.  Todd always seemed disconnected, but perhaps he could find out and at least visit a gravesite with him.  Something.  And Brown—

Well, perhaps he could pay for a driver to take her to jail for a visit.  Damian was going to try to be better at this.  They all could. 

“This is not news,” Damian said dryly instead, “Are you aware that I like animals?”  Drake laughed at that. 

“Point made.  Now, what are you thinking?  You clearly want to do something.”  Indeed.  The spark of the idea had come from a discussion on a rooftop with Grayson in the early days—when he was Batman and Damian was coming into being Robin.  He explained the name and the colors after Damian had had another of his (now shame-inducing) fits over his own pride. 

“The Flying Graysons—his parents called him Robin, you know.”  Tim stiffened. 

“I didn’t.  That’s where it came from—and we fought so hard over it,” he grimaced. 

“I know; I only learned later, when Father was indisposed and Grayson was Batman.”  Tim made a face like he’d eaten three lemons whole. 

“We’re assholes.” 

“Have you gained a new superpower, Drake?  Blurting obvious statements?” Damian deadpanned. 

“You especially,” he rolled his eyes.  “Anyway, your idea?”

“Mar’i has taught me some basic gymnastics tricks.  I was thinking that, in a way, the Robins could be the Graysons?  And we could do a show for him.”  If Robin was from the Grayson family, it made sense to bring back the Graysons in the people that Dick had chosen as family afterwards.  Not a replacement, never that—but a remembrance all the same. 

“It’s a great idea, brat.  I’m shocked.”

“Tch.  I just think that this would be the sort of gesture he would probably like.  We can get the others involved somehow, but it ought to be the Robins that perform.”  Drake’s smile curled. 

“I’ll call Haly’s, see if they can get some professional trainers.  Think Bruce and Alfred will be able to keep Big Bird out of it?” Damian scoffed. 

“If Pennyworth is in charge of something, he will make it happen.  I highly doubt any of us could resist him, Grayson included.” Tim laughed again, then tapped his chin thoughtfully. 

“We should have Mar’i be a big part of it, too, so I’ll have Jason call Star and we can make this work.”

* * *

 

**Jason**

He’d just been on the phone with Roy about what a bad idea it was to set up Titans daycare (Come on, Jay, think about it—we’re all old enough to have kids, and me, Kori, and Dick have already started.  The League can join in and everything.  _No_ , _Roy, that would drive any sane person crazy, have you babysat for multiple superhero children?  It is not fun.  Especially when you’re very not superpowered.  It’s like Kari in the Incredibles, nervous breakdowns everywhere._ Fine, Jay, crush my dreams of a toddler League group picture, why don’t you?  _Gladly_.)  Surely, a call from Tim about a family meeting would mean at least some sane ideas. 

“You want me to _what_ now?” he grumbled. 

“To be fair, it’s a good idea.  Dick is going to be a sad sack for weeks even after the circus leaves if we don’t change anything,” Stephanie pointed out.  The first official Flying Grayson-Todd-Drake-Brown-Wayne meeting was a go.  Of course, it would only ever be called that monstrosity once.  Jason crossed it out on the folder (seriously, Tim?) had brought and wrote “Grayson et al” because he was an English major, dammit.  Kori nodded at Steph. 

“Mar’i is excited.  She understands it’s a hard time for Richard, so she’s all for making him smile.  Would you like her to join the meeting, or—”

“She should, if she’s going to be a part of this,” Damian insisted.  Huh. It looked like Dick wasn’t the only one the kid had a soft spot for. 

“Haly agreed to get us some trainers.  We’re going to do a new routine, but it will be based off of the Grayson family’s style.  No nets, just like patrol, but Star and Mar’i know what to do if things go wrong,” Tim said. 

“My question is: costumes,” Stephanie interrupted, “Because we need a designer that knows what the heck they’re doing.  No one would look good in their old uniforms, but we have to obviously make it stoplight colors for Dick.”

“I can design it, if someone else will sew,” Damian offered, “I designed my own uniform.  I assume we’ll probably have unitards or leotards, depending on the requirements of the routine?”

“Leos, maybe with shorts,” Kori answered, “It’s hard to get a good grip on cloth, and you’ll be grabbing legs and arms just as much as hands and feet.  A tunic with shorts might be okay, too, but we’d have to ask the professionals to be sure.”

“Also, music?  How’s that going to go?  Recording or live?”  Stephanie was systematically taking over the planning, it seemed, which was welcome since otherwise the idea was kind of just a clusterfuck.  Jason sighed. 

“I’ll grab Harper, Duke, and the others.  It might be a soloist with a soundtrack, if I can swing it.”

“My question is: Are we getting Bruce and Alfred in on this?”

“Bruce and Alfred are running interference with Babs,” grinned Tim.  “It doesn’t take much to distract Dick, luckily, but we have to be careful or he’ll catch on.”

“We’re going to practice in the tent with a net,” explained Mar’i. “That’s how dad used to fly.  He won’t want to come to the tent until the memorial anyway or he’ll make himself sadder.”

“And that’s why we’re here,” assured Stephanie.  _This’ll be good for Dick_ , Jason mused, _But God if we won’t be train wrecks at the circus._

* * *

 

Surprisingly, they were not, in fact, train wrecks at the circus.  Jason wasn’t sure how much of it was Dick’s influence on them and how actually genuinely weird their family was. 

Their instructor demonstrated the basics first, then had each of them try.  It kind of helped that they were already mostly in shape from fighting crime.  Jason noted that while his legs weren’t his strongest asset, he could hang by his arms forever in comparison to most of the group. 

“You’ll be good for lifts,” their instructor mused, “probably some handstands too.  We’ll see how we can write this.”  A choreographer was standing by with Kori, watching intently and making notes for whatever their routine was going to be. 

He wanted to snort, because damn if the choreographer didn’t remind him of Bruce, analyzing strengths, weaknesses, and compatibility.  As long as he didn’t end up in tights again, it was all good. 

* * *

 

**Tim**

Okay, acrobatics?  Very difficult.  Choreographed stuff was not nearly as easy as he thought it would be.  Just memorize the moves and do them, right?  A sequence. 

Nope. 

As it turned out, Cass knew how to play piano, so she was going to be their soundtrack.  Between the others, they found a song perfect for the performance—"[Waltz of the Abandoned](https://open.spotify.com/track/5EnOgeqbiCo5JM1ACwK1kh?si=ul-q9blhQpSmjKMb0NX-jg)" by Kyle Landry.  It worked well and was long enough for them all to have feature moments and then to take a group trick. 

The trapeze act was hard. 

On one hand, it required strength, flexibility, and concentration—all stuff necessary for a fight.  Even the control that was added on was necessary, but—

The _precision_.  Tim wouldn’t have guessed that even Dick’s simplest tricks required that much attention to detail in regards to his body. 

“You’re too tense after you release!” the instructor called, and Tim groaned. 

“I was too relaxed last time!  Where’s the middle ground?” 

A water break left four sweaty wannabe acrobats groaning about their predicament, with Mar’i just bouncing with excitement. 

“Is this seriously an easy routine?  I could have sworn I requested an easy routine,” Tim groaned. 

“You requested something similar to what the Graysons did,” Damian retorted.  “Richard was likely doing this since he was a child.”

“This is an easy type of routine, at least for two people,” explained Mar’i with a smile.  “But we’re having five, so the adjustments make it complicated.  The more people you add, the more trouble there can be.”

“More factors for changes,” agreed Damian.  “But we should include all of us in this.  I have an option for clothing design, now that we’ve been through the routine.”  Stephanie squeaked and ran over to where he held up his phone.  A drawing of a skintight outfit on a mannequin—essentially a leotard with pant legs that went to just above the knee.  He flipped through them—different for each of them, reflecting their own Robin costumes.  Mar’i got a leotard that practically matched Dick's—but also had sequins.  They all did, in certain panels. 

“If there’s ever a time we’re going to give away our identities,” huffed Tim, “This would be it.”

“Tch. We’re not wearing masks, Drake.  And these will have a very different effect compared to our usual uniforms.”

“Plus, no capes,” Jason added in an impression of Edna Mode. 

“No capes,” snorted Steph in agreement. 

* * *

Kori was actually a godsend when it came to the safety stuff.  She demonstrated and practiced all of the rescue procedures she’d take if any of them fell and had Mari do the same. 

Bruce stopped by one of their rehearsals as the date came crawling closer.  It was the first time they were doing it in uniform. 

Tim refused to comment on him wiping his eyes before they approached. 

“It’s weird, because I definitely remember seeing Dick in the show,” Tim told him absently, “I never would have imagined this.”

“Neither would I,” agreed Bruce.  They watched where Jason lifted Steph from the floor to the aerial silk for her little solo event.  Everyone each had a few solo tricks, some combinations of duets, a part without Mari, and then all of them together. 

He’d say the production was getting out of hand if he didn’t know their family.  Buying vacations and lavish gifts?  Sure.  Teaming up on personal missions?  Absolutely.  Video games as a distraction from emotions?  More than once.  But this kind of production was new to them.  He didn’t want to think too hard about what could come his way in the future if they were stepping up like this.  (He kind of hoped they’d leave his issues alone, to be honest.)

Jason grinned. 

“Are there any videos?”

* * *

Tim would deny to his grave anything that could be construed as “Damian was cute.”

But damn if it wasn’t frustratingly adorable watching him learn from Mar’i, who not only had the most experience but was also the closest to his size.

It was incredibly clear exactly how genetic it was that Damian emotionally bowed down to Graysons on the whole.  Apparently, Grayson equals getting away with anything with a Wayne. 

* * *

**Stephanie**

It was during the final rehearsal that it almost fell apart.  Dick needed to patrol Bludhaven and Bruce had Kate with him that night, so it’s not like the surprise was in any danger.  No, as usual, they were a mess.

Tensions were pretty high.  Tim had nearly dropped Damian during the last rep, and since they were doing the show without a net, Damian was visibly shaken. 

“At least _I_ knew how to do my part properly!”

“Excuse me for not being totally correct every time!” Tim snarled. 

“Right, because dropping me is a minor mistake, Drake.”

“I’d make it _look_ like a mistake!”

“Will you two _shut the hell_ up?!” Jason jumped in.  Steph just rubbed her temples for a moment. 

“Tim, did you follow your sleeping schedule this week?” she asked. 

“No.”

“I honestly expected better of you, Drake.”  Wow, that’s an improvement—he _expects_ something out of Tim now. 

“Well, without Dick breathing down my neck about it, I can get shit done.”

“Get a lot of shit done poorly, you mean,” Jason snorted, “Look, Timbo. What our resident brat here is trying to say is that you need to go to sleep.  For everyone’s sakes, especially yours.  Do you know how much you’re fucking yourself over by not?”

“Serious permanent damage,” Stephanie said, “You can quite literally die from exhaustion, but you’d pass out first.  We don’t need you passing out in the middle of this, Tim.”  Damian just looked smug with them siding with him.  Oh no. 

“And Damian, don’t antagonize Tim when he makes a mistake once.  One flub up is easy to fix.  Repetitive ones mean bad habits, and _those_ you can nag at him for, understand?  Mar’i and Star are here to catch you if anything goes wrong.  No need to be scared,” Steph assured.  Damian sneered through a blush. 

“Thanks, Steph,” Jason muttered quietly, “I can never get them to quit.”

“I just know them too well,” she grinned.  Tim—well, that was quite obvious.  Their history was rocky at best, but she never quite stopped loving him.  It just changed how.  As for Damian—the kid was so a tiny Bruce, never accepting anything less than perfection (especially from himself).  Couldn’t tell people they cared about them to save lives, though. 

* * *

“Oh my god I’m going to _wreck_ this,” Stephanie groaned, “In the worst of ways.  Dick will be too polite to laugh at me, so I’ll just wallow in shame alone.”

“Tch.  You’ve perfected your routine.  If you make it a disaster, have no fear—you will wallow in shame with me explaining your faults.”  Ah, the master of the sneaky backhanded compliment. 

The thing about getting ready for a performance—actually putting on a costume, doing hair and makeup, was that it got her nerves down.  When she had to do oral reports for school, her makeup and hair was on point even if she normally showed up to class dressed like a twelve-year-old boy. 

Red lipstick, tight curls, eyeliner.  Kind of a 40s glam look.  She immediately turned on the boys with a vicious grin. 

“Get over here.  The spotlight will make you look like ghosts if I don’t do _something_ with your faces.  Mar’i, you first, since I know you won’t fight your way out of this.” 

Just lipstick, mascara, and some body glitter lotion for her though.  Her Tamaranian skin helped the whole paleness situation, and Stephanie honestly did not want to dump makeup on a little girl just like that.  Next was Damian, who sat still as a statue (and looked _adorable_ if she had anything to say about it).  She threatened Tim more than once with taping his eyelids open just so she could put eyeliner on him properly.  Jason was bored throughout the affair, but by the end he kind of looked like a J-pop idol she saw on a poster in Harper’s room once. 

He even asked for the glitter lotion, too. 

“Hey, you think this is the first time I’ve worn makeup?  Come on, some of my best friends are Kori and Artemis.  They’d be ashamed of me if I couldn’t fight the patriarchy and wear a little eyeliner, too.”

Though they all wanted to draw the line at glitter hairspray, Steph got them all anyway. 

* * *

 

**Dick**

Damn, it felt like he hadn’t seen most of the family in weeks.  Brief interactions, sure, but everyone was so busy.  He really had hoped that they wouldn’t miss this, but it looked like it was just him, Bruce, Kori, and Alfred, because there were no signs of the others. 

“Where’s everyone else?  The show’s about to start.  Where are their seats?” Dick worried. 

Alfred smiled, and that did a bit to relax him. 

“They’re in their places, Master Richard.  I suggest you relax and watch the show.” 

The ringmaster was good—charismatic, fun.  He had a kind of bounce to him.  A few acts in, he paused. 

“There’s a special performance for a special member of our audience tonight.  Dick Grayson, of the Flying Graysons everyone!”  The spotlight turned on him and he flashed a grin immediately, waving. 

“This little surprise has been putting itself together for a while now, Dick.  I’m going to read the card, now— _Life is fleeting, a gasp of air while we start to fall.  You taught us that we never have to land—we can fly._ First performer of the Flying Grayson extended family—Jason Todd!”  Jay was bright in the light, and Dick nearly fainted.  _Jason what are you doing are those_ sequins _no that’s your Robin suit but for_ and Jason was swinging, flying, showing off like crazy with suspensions and handstands. 

Then _Tim_ started flying, precise flicks back and forth.  And Stephanie took off in the aerial silk with basically the most enthusiasm of them all, and then Damian took the silk down, darting from one trick to the next and—

If Dick thought he was short of breath before, he was catatonic now.  Mar’i was in the air, a dancer at complete ease with her place when she flew. 

The soloist acts were one thing, but then they started doing tandem flips and other impossible things that Dick never thought he would ever witness.  What the fuck. 

“Language, Master Richard,” Alfred scolded fondly.  Apparently he had said it out loud. 

“You were in on this?!” he half-whispered, half-screeched. 

“We were all planning it together,” Bruce said with a half-grin.  “It was Damian and Tim’s idea.”  _How did_ that _conversation go?!_

Jason was flinging Tim from one spot to another, Steph catching him and flicking him upwards to pass him back.  Then Damian did an expert flip, curling up and snapping straight to catch Tim’s hand.  A chain of Robins was forming—Jason held Tim and Steph on either hand, and they each had Damian and Mar’i.  The trapeze ropes lowered and they posed together, breathing harshly.  Damn.  Just. Damn. 

Dick was on his feet before theirs hit the ground, probably looking insane to the rest of the audience.  He hardly cared. 

* * *

The funny thing about it was that they acted like it was no big deal.

“How’d you like it, dad?” Mari asked, eyes wide. 

“That was _perfect_ , sweetheart.  Best surprise ever.  Seriously, everyone—I was not ready for this.  I’m blown away.” 

“I mean, it’s no quadruple somersault, but we did all right,” Jason huffed.  “It’s a family thing, Big Bird.  Gotta keep you on your toes.”

“No, guys, this was—I don’t think you get how much this means to me,” Dick urged.  Come on.  They—he never would have asked for this.  Hell, sometimes he imagined, early on, teaching Jason the ropes.  And of course, he couldn’t _not_ teach Mar’i—but them learning it all without him, _for_ him?  That had never been a passing thought. 

“It’s beyond anything I would have . . . it’s really too much.”

“Look, this time of year was going to suck,” Steph put it bluntly, “And you’re always making sure we’re mostly okay.  You think you’re good at hiding your grief and man-pain behind hugs and dad jokes, but we all know you better than that.  So we did this.” 

“This, being one of the most awesome things I’ve ever seen,” Dick insisted, “It was—it reminded me of what being Robin was about.  I know my parents would have been seriously proud to watch that, guys; they would have loved it.”  They seemed to sober at that. 

“That’s probably the highest praise we could recieve,” Damian said, “Thank you.”

* * *

 

“Noooo,” Tim whined the next day, “Why do I still have glitter in my hair?  Steph, I have a board meeting!  This is not what I signed up for when I joined the circus!”

Dick laughed hard enough to cry. 

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry about the hand-wavy trapeze/acrobat stuff. I know nothing about the circus so I just kinda threw in what little performance knowledge I have. I have some requests on the first part of this series to do an alternate Batman Beyond fic, which is currently in the works, but I wanted to finish this before I did anything new (like that's ever going to happen). 
> 
> I'm also debating whether I want to do a quick piece on Damian with the Titans, but again, we'll see how that goes. I also really want to pull together a fic of a Wayne gala hosting the Justice League and the batfam trolling new members that don't know their identities. Secret identity stuff is fun lol.
> 
> Hope you're all doing well - I got all As for the semester, so things are looking up. Now I'm just looking for a job.


End file.
